Iron Age Bridle Bits: The Equine Perspective

The question of control and manoeuvrability of Iron Age chariots is a subject that has not received the research interest it deserves during recent years. Caesar writes in admiration of the control the native Britons could exert over their chariots but current reconstructions do not seem to support this premise. In order to question this, Iron Age bits were investigated together with the current method of yoking. This poster is concerned with examining Iron Age bits in terms of their functionality rather than their decorative styles.

When determining control and manoeuvrability, it is necessary to examine the harnessing that is associated with chariots as well as the chariot itself. The mainarchaeological evidence for the harness components comprise of metalwork such as the terret rings, strap unions and bridle bits. In terms of control, the bridle bit is the most important part of the harness as it is the principal aid in steering and stopping the horse. It is also the main method of communication between the horse and the rider or driver. Bits vary in terms of their action and whether they are mild or severe in their impact on the horse. This is a broad spectrum and in basic terms severity can be defined as the degree of pressure applied to the horse’s mouth in order to gain the desired effect.

A range of bits have been dated to the Iron Age and have been found throughout Britain. They have been found in the context of chariot burials (usually in pairs in this instance) and also in hoards and as single finds. Previous researchers have classified these bits in terms of their form rather than their function. However, when the three main forms of bit are examined, they are found to vary in the severity of their action on the horse.

Another factor which must be taken into account when looking at bits is whether the rein ring is loose or fixed. When the bridle bits from the Iron Age are examined, there appears to be a mixture of fixed rings, rings with restricted movement and free moving rings. It may appear that the rein rings only serve one purpose and that is to attach the bit to the rest of the bridle.However, they can play an important part in the action of the bit on the horse. Free moving rings that are large serve to provide a greater element of steering due to putting pressure on the outside of the cheeks when pressure on the rein is applied. Fixed rings or rings withrestricted movement serve to put pressure on the corners of the lips as can be seen in the 3-link and 3-link derivative bit from Llyn Cerrig Bach.

It has been clearly demonstrated that the bits dating from the Iron Age vary not just in their form but also in their functionality i.e. the action that they apply to the horse’s mouth. As the bits are broadly contemporary, it clear shows that Iron Age peoples were horse literate; that they had an understanding of how different bits perform within the mouth. These bits would have been interchanged depending on the needs of the horse and indeed, the needs of thedriver. Greater or lesser control would have been applied through the use of these different types of bits therefore, leading to the conclusion that the use of bits together with sufficient training would have provided the control needed to meet the rigours of warfare.

The question might be asked:

‘If the amount of pressure applied directly correlates to the obedience of the horse, then why not use the most severe bit available?’

The answer to this lies in the trainability of the horse; it is more desirable to achieve a responsive and biddable horse through sympathetic means rather than purely through pain and fear. Also, prolonged use of a severe bit using harsh training methods will eventually result in desensitisation and potential injury of the horse and the need to increase the severity of the bit.

2 link bit from Llyn Cerrig Bach (redrawn from MacDonald, 2007)

3 link bit from Llyn Cerrig Bach (redrawn from MacDonald, 2007)

3 link derivative from Rise, Holderness (redrawn from MacGregor, 1976)

These different types of bit range in date from 4th century BC and the 2nd century AD. There is some overlap between some 3 link and 2 link bits and between 2 link and 3 link derivative bits. These have found to occur across Britain and therefore, the differences cannot be said to beregional. There is also some overlap between different types of bit.

The 2-link bit puts pressure on the bars of the mouth with the central link pushing downwards on the tongue. This effectively ‘breaks’ the bit across the tongue which applies pressure to the lower jaw. This encourages the horse to drop their head and give in to the pressure.

Pressure points applied by the 2 link bit

There are seven parts of the horse’s head on which pressure can be applied through the use of the bit:

poll

nose

roof of the mouth

corner of the lips Chin groove

bars of the mouth

tongue

It can be argued that the 3-link derivative is the most severe of the three types of Iron Age bit that have been identified. It effectively acts in a similar way to a modern straight bar bit. It puts downward pressure on the bars of the mouth and thus the lower jaw. It is more severe than the 2-link bit as it does not break thereby applying the maximum amount of pressure to the lower jaw. The example shown here has ridges in the middle of the bar that will impact on the tongue thereby applying two forms of pressure to the mouth.

The 3-link bit applies pressure in a slightly different way. The middle link puts pressure on the tongue and the example from Llyn Cerrig Bach shows that this particular example would have been severe due to the protrusion of the middle link. The side links then apply pressure to the corners of the mouth, therefore encouraging the horse to give into the pressure.

Pressure points applied by the 3 link bit

Pressure points applied by the 3 link derivative bit

For more information or to leave feedback contact:

Aisling Nash; aislingnash@gmail.com

The pressure points of Iron Age bits can be seen as follows: